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Inbred Lines vs. the Populations as Testers in Reciprocal Recurrent Selection¹

In reciprocal recurrent selection (RRS) the change in the average value of genotypes in the cross between the selection populations is a function of allele frequency changes in the two selection populations; the change is not a function of the details of the selection process by which those changes are promoted. Thus, the proper criterion to employ in comparisons of variations of RRS is the expectation of change per unit tune in the frequency of an allele. Using this criterion and theory flowing from the genetic model that assumes linkage equilibrium and no epistasis but allows any number of alleles per gene, I found that the RRS populations are slightly superior, as testers for each other, to inbred lines extracted from those populations. This finding contrasts to the suggestion by Russell and Eberhart (1975) that such inbred testers should be superior. Their suggestion was based on evidence of greater genetic variance among test progenies when inbred line testers were used. The theory reported herein shows this is to be expected (unless gene action is completely additive) but that a corresponding increase in allele frequency changes is not to be expected.

The results summarized above are discussed in relation to situations in which epistasis and linkage disequilibrium may be present. It is concluded that they are qualitatively correct in more general situations.

Key Words: Reciprocal recurrent selection • Testers • Multiple alleles • Epistasis • Selection theory • Probability of fixation

² Regent's professor of genetics, Dep. of Genetics and Cell Biology, College of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108.

Received for publication March 5, 1979.